In the Shadows
by spunkysoccergirl
Summary: A LJ and Sirius other character story. About year seven for Marauders and Co. at Hogwarts and a girl with a mysetery surrounding her. Sorry, I suck at summaries. It is short now, but I will keep updating it.
1. Darkness

**Ok, hi all, this is my first story ever like this so just bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: None of J.K. Rowling's characters belong to me except the ones I make up. **

Chapter 1

Darkness shrouded the castle in the late hours of the evening. You could see shadows flitting across the hall, here and there, from the ghosts gliding silently, attending their late night business. Across the grounds, a wolf howled in the dark forest, then, all was silent…..Except….

Somewhere in the castle, the rustle of a cloak could be heard, and in the darkness, one could barely make out the dim shape of a figure, a girl to be more specific, moving silently along the corridors. Yet, every time, she passed a suit of armor, or even a wall candle, she seemed to disappear for a moment, until she stopped at an old yet unique portrait of a woman, standing tear-eyed next to an old white fence rail. Everything about the portrait seemed old. The woman, the fence, and the small house in the distance.

The girl stopped at it, and every time she did, she pondered. Why was the woman crying, what was wrong with her, and most of all, why was she alone? The thought sent shivers up her spine. She muttered something, and the portrait swung open, and she disappeared into the seemingly dark hole before her.

**Chapter 2**

The next morning at Hogwarts castle dawned warm and clear. The welcoming feast the night before left everyone's stomachs satisfied, resulting in a good nights rest, ready for there classes the next day. Almost everyone was down in the great hall having breakfast, except for four people, a particularly famous group of boys who called themselves the Marauders. Three of the four of this group, were in fact, the most popular boys in the school. They were Sirius Black, James Potter, and Remus Lupin. The fourth, Peter Pettigrew, was a mystery to most people. No one really knew how he became friends with the most popular and best looking boys in the school. He had small watery blue eyes and a nose that seemed too big for his face. He was short, chubby and as unintelligent as they came.

Sirius and James on the other hand, were the complete opposites of him. They were both tall and good looking, with black hair that fell slightly over their eyes. Sirius's hair was always neat, but James, on the other hand, had messy and untidy hair that always seemed to occupy his hand running through it. He wore thin wire framed glasses, and was tall at 6'1 with warm hazel eyes and a well built body. Sirius, just a little taller than James, at 6'2, had black eyes that always seemed to have a twinkle of amusement in them, that never seemed to leave. He had a well built body, due do his position of beater on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Remus Lupin, on the other hand, was tall at 6'0 and had sandy blonde hair that fell neatly into his eyes. He was handsome, though in the quiet way.

The boys were currently in their 7th year dorms, scurrying about, looking for spare quills and pieces of parchment. Let's just say they were not the most organized of their year. "JAMES!" Sirius yelled. "WHERE IS MY WAND!"

"I don't know!" a voice from the bathroom yelled back. "Did you try your trunk?"

"Don't be silly," the voice yelled back. The sound of a lid of the trunk opening could be heard. "Why would it be in he-…" The voice stopped. "NEVERMIND JAMES." Yelled Sirius. "I found it." In the bathroom, a boy could be seen rolling his eyes. Finally, fifteen minutes later, the boys made it to the great hall.


	2. A usual morning

Sirius looked around the familiar sight of the great hall. The four long house tables were in the center, with the staff table at the front. The four boys walked forward to the Gryffindor table where a group of three girls were deep in conversation, did not notice them approaching.

The first on, Lily Evans, had beautiful, dark red hair that reached a couple inches pas her shoulders. She was pretty, very pretty, but did not like to flaunt it. She wore her hair in a simple ponytail and her skirt an inch longer than required to hide her long legs. She had smooth ivory skin and a flawless face. The second girl, Rayna Adams had curly brown hair that reached her shoulders. She was a little taller than Lily, at 5'5, and was built along the same lines. Slender, beautiful, and intelligent. The last one was definitely the most exotic of them. She had hair so blonde, it almost seemed white, which reached to mid back. It was also straight as a board, naturally. Though very beautiful, she was quiet, shy, and studious, much like Lily. Her name was Alexandria Pontes, though she was known throughout the school as Alex.

As the four boys approached, Rayna nudged Lily, who looked up, immediately regretting it. She was staring into the face of James Potter, in her opinion, the most arrogant, egotistical, self-centered boy ever to come to Hogwarts, and let's just say, she hated him with an absolute passion. He was constantly bugging her, trying to chat her up, and asking her out almost on a daily basis. It annoyed her to the ends of the earth, and she hated him for it.

So, she decided to leave. Subtly of course. "Hey, Alex," she said, "I've got to get my transfiguration book from the dormitory, so I'll see you when class starts." With that, she quickly stood up from the table, shoved passed the boys, and made her way out of the great hall, aware of the six pair of eyes staring after her.

"Oh come on Evans," James yelled at her retreating back. "Am I really that bad!" He asked jokingly, trying to make the best out of a bad situation. As she slammed the doors of the great hall closed behind her, she rolled her eyes. _You have no idea,_ she thought angrily.

Meanwhile, back in the great hall, people were resuming their conversations as if nothing had happened. These fights were about as common around the school as a bee in a beehive. "Tough luck Prongs," Said Remus sympathetically. But, James wasn't to be disheartened.

"She'll come around eventually," he said. "After all, who can resist _the_ James Potter," he said, flashing the girls a winning smile. They just rolled their eyes and continued eating.

"Ya know, mate," said Sirius. "I reckon you should just move on. I mean, once Evans has her mind set on something, there's usually no changing it."

"Ahh Padfoot my friend. You underestimate me," he said. Though in his mind, he was thinking along the same lines. _Would Lily Evans ever be his?_


	3. Of Classes and Minor Explosions

**AN (Authors Note): Sorry about the short chapters, but they might get longer. Who knows. Anyways. This is my first story, so like I said, bear with me. It will hopefully get better.**

**Chapter 3: Of classes and minor explosions**

Lily Evens stormed through the hallway to the second floor where the seventh year transfiguration class was located. James Potter. She loathed the name. Just saying it made her disgusted. How could someone be such a prat on their first day back. She sighed. _Some things never change_, she thought to herself.

She had reached the door to McGonagall's classroom. She checked her watch. She was ten minutes early. "Oh well," she said to herself. She quietly opened the door and let herself into the classroom. Professor McGonagall was already there, seated at her desk going over the lesson plan for the day.

She looked up surprised. "Ms. Evans," she said, looking up at her rather flustered head girl. "You know, class doesn't start for another ten minutes," she said. Lily mustered up the brightest smile she could give.

"Oh, I know Professor, but, you know, it's the first day of classes, and I figured I might as well come in early, for, you know….." she dribbled on helplessly, unable to think of a reason for being early. McGonagall gave her a knowing look.

"Take a seat anywhere you like Miss Evans." Lily thanked her and chose a seat three rows behind the front. She unpacked her books, and, since she had nothing more to do, flipped to the first page and started reading.

Ten minutes later, the rest of the class started filing in, taking their seats. Rayna and Alex came in and sat on either side of Lily. "Been here long?" Rayna asked cheerfully. Lily glared at her.

"You have no idea."

"You know Lily," Alex said, choosing her words carefully. "You shouldn't let Potter get to you like that. I mean, look at him, he's practically controlling your way of life. He make you skip breakfast!" she said, as if it was the most important thing in the world.

"I wasn't hungry," said Lily, just as her stomach gave a loud grumble.

"Whatever you say Lily."s

"Attention please, class," Said Professor McGonagall. "As it is your seventh and final year at Hogwarts, most of you know you will have NEWTs at the end of the year. So, it is my job to begin to prepare you for them. Today, we will start out with some review. You will all be changing your desk into a goat. You all know the rules. No messing around, or I will see to it personally that you are punished for your actions. Remember, the spell is Auctus Morpheus. You may begin.

Lily groaned. Transfiguration was her worst subject. She managed to scrape by in her owls with an Pass, but no more than that. She concentrated on a goat in her mind and said the incantation. All that happened was the desk turned white and fuzzy. She was even more annoyed by the fact that James Potter and his friends had already managed perfect goats and were watching the rest of the class with smug expressions on their faces. This angered her even more, which, perhaps, is why she said the spell a little more forcefully than intened, and instead of seeing a goat in her mind, her anger consumed her, causing the end of the desk to explode.

She jumped back before the flames had a chance to hit her, and put the fire out with a jet of water from her wand. Her face burned in embarrassment as the whole class stared at her.

"Miss Evans," the Professor said in shock, "what happened?"

"I'm sorry Professor," said Lily in shame. "I…I had a little accident." Professor McGonagall eyed her suspiciously, but said no more.

Lily groaned. She was useless at transfiguration and had a scorch mark on the edge of her desk to prove it.

**A/N: Ok, so what do you guys think. Not great, I know, but a review would be nice with any ideas or comments or constructive criticism. **


	4. Mysteries

**Chapter 4: Mysteries**

Things did not look good for Lily. The whole class had burst out laughing, with, of course, the exception of her friends. The day had gone downhill from there. At lunch, the story seemed to have gotten around. Lily Evans, head girl, had blown up a transfiguration desk. By lunch, it had gone from a small explosion to the room catching fire and the desk being incinerated.

The one bright spot was the last class of the day. Charms. Lily had always been good at charms. She liked to think it was her calling. When she completed this year, she hoped to go into something that involved that particular field, though she wasn't sure what yet.

The charms classroom was located on the fifth floor of the castle. Rayna was in the same class also, so the two of them walked together after a particularly difficult session of double potions, though, fortunately, it was with Ravenclaw's, instead of the Slytherins.

As they were making their way along the corridor, she noticed something that seemed to be out of place.

As her eyes flicked across the many paintings that were mounted on the walls, she could not help but notice one in particular. She stopped and stared at it. In the middle of a group of attractive, cheerful looking paintings, one stood out. It was an old woman. Crying. Rayna stopped too.

"Lils, what is it?" She asked.

Lily snapped out of her daze. "N-nothing," she said, still wondering. Rayna looked around, as if trying to catch a glimpse of a rule breaker that might have caused Lily to stop. When she saw nothing, she spoke.

"Well, we better get going or we are gonna be late," she said, looking at Lily uneasily, wondering what had made her stop all of a sudden.

"Right," said Lily regaining her senses. And, with that, the pair set off for charms.

An hour later, Lily came out of the class looking like she was in a much better mood. _And why wouldn't I be, _she thought, for anyone who had earned thirty points to Gryffindor for her excellent work in charms, would be.

There was still an hour left before dinner, so Lily, Rayna, and Alex decided to walk outside, for the day was too perfect to pass up.

As they stepped outside, the fresh inviting air welcomed them, as they breathed in the scent of autumn fast approaching. In the distance, the lake appeared cool and inviting. The girls took off their shoes and dipped their toes in the lake, the weight of the first day of classes slowly diminishing with each ripple that washed past their feet. However…

A shadow fell over them and they looked up into the faces of James Potter and Sirius Black. Lily groaned. "Hey Evans," James said smoothly, his hand in his hair as he have her a roguish wink. "Beautiful day isn't it," he said, as if trying to make small talk.

"Well, it _was_," Lily shot back, unable to mask the bitterness in her voice.

"Why Evans, what do you mean, _was_. As far as I'm concerned, the unrelenting presence of me can only make one's day better." Even Sirius rolled his eyes at this comment.

Lily snapped. "JAMES POTTER," she yelled, "If you ever took the time to get off your high horse, you would realize that the world does NOT revolve around you, but NO, your pathetic vision does not go past those ridiculous glasses of yours. Because if they did, you would realize not everyone worships you at this school!"

She took a step toward him, eyes blazing with anger James had never seen in her before. Her hand gripped her wand so tightly her knuckles were turning white. James eyed it warily. "Now Evans," he said in a nervous voice. He knew what she was capable with with a wand. "No nee-," but he did not finish.

"One more word Potter," she hissed, "One more word, and you won't be able to speak from today till next Christmas," she said, gripping her wand.

James recognized defeat when he saw it. "Fine Evans," he said, cockily, "you'll come around eventually."

That did it for Lily, but before she could react, Rayna jumped in.

"So, um James," she said, wanting to avoid Lily doing some serious damage to him. "Where's Remus," she said choosing a different subject.

James looked at Sirius nervously.

Sirius cleared his throat. "He's sick, um, yeah, his stomach, you know, too much for lunch." James relaxed. That was a good lie, he figured, but he did not like the way Lily's eyes had widened, as a look of comprehension dawned on her face.

**A/N: Ok, there it is. Wow, this is harder that it seems to write a story like this. I will try to keep updating it, if anyone is even reading it but, if you are, I won't be updating after July 19 cause I'm going to Europe for a few weeks, but I'll try to get as much as I can done before them. **

**Reviews would be much appreciated though!**

☻☻☻☻**spunkysoccergirl**


	5. Pondering

Later that night, Lily lay quietly in her dormitory, concealed between the hangings of her four poster bed. There were a few things present in her mind at the moment. The first, of course, was James Potter. _No, _she thought to herself, _not him, but more what he SAID._ Remus Lupin always seemed to be sick. At first, Lily though it to be a coincidence that he disappeared around the same time every month, but as the years past, she began to grow suspicious. Of course, asking Potter or any of his friends for that matter was completely out of the question, but she did wonder…..

The second issue she had on her mind was not really an issue at all. Something kept nagging at her all day, though she did not know why. Her thoughts drifted back to the painting she saw in the corridor on the way to charms. She did not know why it was bothering her, but to her it seemed out of place, not just because of the general mood it portrayed. There was something else as well.

Knowing Rayna did not like to be woken up, she headed to Alex's bed. The quiet girl would usually not mind being woken up, seeing as she was a light sleeper, but did not need much of it. As Lily quietly opened the hangings, she was surprised to see Alex sitting up, staring at the ceiling. Hardly seeming surprised, she slowly lowered her bright blue eyes even with Lily's emerald one. "Lily," she said with only a trace of her French accent. She smiled. "Couldn't sleep?" Lily smiled.

"You could say that, but I was wondering if you could come with me?"

Alex looked at her curiously. "Sure, just a minute." She pulled on a light blue shirt over her black tank top and slipped into her slippers. Wordlessly, she followed Lily out of the dormitory. When Lily stopped to wait for the portrait to open, she looked back pleadingly at Alex. Alex looked back at her. If she was curious as to where they were going, she did not say. It was the trust she had in Lily that let her follow her into situations like these.

The two girls walked in comfortable silence, until they turned a corner on the second corridor. "Lily…" Alex started. "Unless I am mistaken, it seems like we are heading to charms?"

"No," Lily reassured her, I just want you to tell me something. Lily stopped before a cluster of bright, cheery looking paintings and pointed to the one in the center. Alex started at it, her eyes widening for a slight second. Lily looked at her. She could have sworn she saw a trace of fear in her eyes, but concluded it must have been due the shadows the candlelight flickered across the wall. "Do notice anything about this painting. Anything….different, compared to the others."

Alex's facial expression remained neutral. "Other than it is rather dreary, compared to the others….No…." She said slowly.

"Oh," said Lily, disappointed that Alex did not share her feelings. "It doesn't make you feel….depressed, or sad?"

Alex started at her for what seemed like an eternity. "No," she said, "No, it does not. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason really," Lily replied.

"Ahhh, so there was no reason you dragged me out of bed in the middle of the night to look at a painting," Alex said. Her tone was not angry or accusatory, but only mild curiosity." Lily smiled brightly. "No, she said, "I just…liked it. Let's head back."

The two girls started back toward their dormitory, Alex looking curiously at Lily, yet with the same comfortable friendly silence they had started out with. Soon, they were engaged in a whispered discussion about the new potions master, Professor Slughorn. Neither noticed three pairs of eyes watching them as they disappeared into the portrait hole. They shed their slippers and bid each other good night, once they arrived in their dormitory, not knowing that they were not the only ones out that night….


End file.
